6 days, 7 nights
by mimijag
Summary: This is an adaptation of the movie "6 days, 7 nights". So come on board and follow Sybil and Tom on the wonderful makatea Island for some adventure...Modern AU
1. Prologue

_So, what to say? This is an adaptation of the movie "6 days, 7 nights" with Harrison Ford and Ane Eche. Regarding Sybil's work, I haven't quite definite it but in my mind, she's sort of working as a counselor/ lawyer at red Cross to help mothers all around the world to keep their child after a brake up with fathers. I know this kind of job doesn't exist at red Cross but that's what I have in mind...Hope you'll enjoy it and as always, reviews are welcomed. The rating will probably change at some point...x_  
Prologue

Sybil squeezed the lapel of her coat around her neck and shivered. She hated snow and more than anything, she hated snow in London when her car was refusing to start, forcing her to take the subway to go to work. And of course, Larry wasn't in town to give her a lift…

She was already several minutes late and she was beginning to prepare herself for her colleagues' complaints. However, she couldn't resist the temptation to stop to buy a good coffee at one of her favorite place. She drank a sip of the hot and strong beverage before shivering again against a gust of wind.

She hated this weather in the Capital and would have given anything to escape a few days under the sun. If only an urgent mission could come from an exotic Island…

As she was nearing the front door at last, a car drove in high speed by her in the street and drove into a pool of melted snow, splashing the sidewalk as much as her. Surprised by the cold water, she let out a little cry, stopped walking and took a big breath. She wanted to scream but restrained herself: it wasn't necessary to make a show in front of the Red Cross building and the car was already far away anyway.

She shook her coat and entered the building, her chin high and proud and, after having greeted the receptionist, she waited for the lift. She still had ten floors to go and then, in a few minutes, she will be at last safe and warm in her office.

**Sybil Crawley's office**

February 2012

Squeezing preciously her mug of hot tea between her hands, Sybil made her way through the open space to reach her office after the daily briefing. Unfortunately, everything was quiet and nobody needed her at the other side of the world. She had to face it; her bikini will have to stay at the bottom of her drawer.

She passed by her boss office and looked at the man standing in front of the door, almost standing at attention. It was her boss's chauffeur and not without feeling a pinch in her heart and her belly like each time since two years, she closed the door of her own office behind her.

Inevitably and despite herself, her thoughts went to Tom Branson. She was wondering what her friend could be doing at this time. Was he cursing against London's snow too? Was he walking along a beach near his parent's home in Ireland? Was he working or was he in holidays? Did he have a wife…kids perhaps?

Sybil shivered at this idea and she took the frame sitting on her desk.

Tom…

What had he become? Since this long conversation they had in the garage putting an end to all their hopes, she never saw him again. It was like if he had vanished from the earth but also more cruelly, from her life. Oh, she knew by her "fiancé" he left the next day of this catastrophic conversation but, despite all her tries, she had never been able to find out what he had become or where he was living. Mme Hughes, her parent's ruler seemed to really not know and when she had the guts to ask Tom's mother, the woman wasn't exactly very welcoming and she just said coldly that « he was fine and that it was all she needed to know. » Regarding Bates and Anna, she was suspecting them to know something but, by respect for their friendship, she never pushed it…

She had had a pretty hard time with this silent disappearance, realizing that by saying « never », she really had not only put an end to any hope of a relationship with Tom but also to their friendship. And that was the hardest thing maybe, what was hurting the most. She would rather have him yell at her, talk about his anger, or cry even maybe. But instead, an absence and a silence heavy with meanings had taken over the presence of her friend that had been a constant for so many years.

She couldn't resent him. She knew what she had said even if today, she still was wondering if her decision had been the good one. And most of all, she knew how Tom could react when he was feeling hurt. And she had hurt him big time: with her lack of courage, with her decision, with her words.

So, like he seemed to have resigned himself to vanish from her life, she stopped to ask questions and had gone on with her life. And if it hadn't been easy at the beginning, she, little by little, had got used to his absence. Larry then had taken more and more importance in her life, taking over more or less this empty feeling in her heart. Sex from time to time, a few dinners out gave her the feeling of not being alone. They were living at his apartment, at hers, everywhere at the same time and she still couldn't really define their relationship even if, the ultimate goal she knew it, was a wedding to save her parents from ruin. Because it was what had forced her, in the first place, to refuse Tom's proposal. Tom had been her parents' chauffeur but also her friend for a long time and, to leave with him would have been a real bad joke to her family and the circle she was coming from, even in the 21th century.

As she was about to say yes to Tom even if their relationship never had been a physical one except for a few kisses and touches, her father had announced the bankruptcy of the family business and the loss of their fortune, crisis having hastened the things along with a bad management. Larry Grey, the son of one of the family's old friends, had then announced that he wanted to marry Sybil. And his family was doing more than well. In one word: they were rich. So Sybil had resigned herself or rather, she chose to be faithful to her family and didn't listen to her heart. She chose to save her family rather than her happiness and she regretted her choice almost every day now. Yet, almost two years later, they still were unmarried even if the Grey's family had helped her family to erase the debt.

Larry was her fiancé, her lover and a friend sometimes but she struggled to see more. She often thought about it but she couldn't really define her feelings for him. Larry was often shinning by his absence and, in these moments, she hated him more than anything. But when they were reunited, she forgot everything and was generally surprised to find his company rather nice and to be eager to see him again. But was it love? She was wondering sometimes if it wasn't for her only a way to replace Tom's absence.

Sybil didn't know. But what was very real was that, each time she was visiting her parents, everything was reminding her of the man she had once loved, her best friend but also, the man she had lost.

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking at her door.

"Come in!" She called out, putting back down the frame in front of her.

"A delivery for you, Miss Crawley", said Cathy whose voice was muffled by a gigantic bunch of tropical flowers hiding her face. "From Larry Grey".

"Oh!" Exclaimed Sybil seeing the beauty of the bunch.

Cathy put the bulky bunch down on the desk and Sybil eagerly, took the note that a little Tahitian doll was holding in her hands.

"Does he have something to be forgiven for?" Asked Cathy.

"He was in Paris."

"It's very nice of him, Miss", noted Cathy. "It must have cost him a fortune…"

Sybil threw a knowing smile to her.

"You can leave now."

"I'm leaving", said Cathy rolling her eyes before closing the door behind her.

Sybil knew that Larry wasn't particularly liked by her colleagues, nor her friends. But when he was acting like this with such romantic gesture, in these brief instants where she could feel desired, everything else was not important anymore.

She opened the note and immediately recognized the fine writing of Larry.

_« I can't wait to see you. It seemed an eternity. Join me to the Gauguin at 7PM. Bring__the Tahitian. »_

Sybil chuckled because Larry was only gone for two days. She caught the little Tahitian and laughed even more seeing that her loincloth was moving with her hips. Larry often had this kind of little considerations and Sybil couldn't deny that she loved them.

**To be continued...**


	2. chapter 1

**So, at long last, here is a little chapter. Stuck with me...I promised that Tom's appearance won't take long...as usually, reviews are welcomed.**

**The Gauguin, London**

"A Tahitian doll, a Polynesian restaurant", said Sybil as they were following the server to their table. "What do you want to say exactly?"

"It's all part of the surprise", answered Larry pulling the chair out for her to sit. "So don't spoil it!"

"A surprise? You aren't going to break up with me, aren't you?" Asked Sybil trying to joke.

"No!"

"OK…You're sure? Because 69% of couples break up in a restaurant."

"We aren't breaking up", he said looking in her eyes.

"Alright."

"In fact, I want to have even more romanticism in our lives."

"Really?" Asked Sybil with a suspicious glare.

Larry nodded

"You're going to close your eyes."

"Now?"

"Yes, yes, now."

"OK", said Sybil doing so even if she wasn't usually very thrilled by surprises

"Alright. Do you remember all the times you said we never get away, that we only just work, that we never get fun?" Asked Larry while searching through the inside pocket of his coat.

"Yes, it's true", nodded Sybil, her eyes still closed.

"Well, open your eyes and look at where I'm going to take you", said Larry with a satisfied look while laying out a leaflet on the table."

Sybil slowly opened her eyes and stared at the blue sea, the palm trees and the beach with its white sand that were all over the paper in front of her.

"Oh, you're kidding!" she breathed, not believing it.

"You and me in two weeks."

"Two weeks! I can't, I have to take care of the Park's file."

"Oh, yes. You can."

"I can?"

"Yes, I already took care of that with Carson. O'Brian will take your place."

"Really? Oh, what a secretive man you are...I know now why you're one of the best lawyers", she said, leaning to kiss him.

Larry accepted with happiness this sign of gratitude because he didn't receive it very often.

"Poor O'Brian, I feel guilty but it seems like I can't put away this smug smile from my face."

"Think about it. Six days and seven nights, alone in the world on the little heavenly island of Makatea…"

**Heathrow airport**

Two weeks later…

"Sybil, come on, turn this phone off, please. You're in holidays", moaned Larry, giving their tickets and passports to the stewardess.

Sybil sent him an apologetic look but went on with her conversation. Larry turned towards the stewardess, exasperated and answered the security questions.

"Sorry", said Sybil a few minutes later as they were heading to the boarding door. "But O'Brian also has to deal with the Barrow's file so I can help her a little bit."

"I know you're wearing your heart on your sleeve, honey, but don't forget you're in holiday now", answered Larry while leaning to kiss her lips.

"Humm, how could I?" Breathed Sybil closing her eyes. "But I still feel a little bit guilty anyway…"

"Well, you shouldn't", said Larry linking his arm with hers. "Come on. If we're too long, we'll miss our flight."

"Well, hurry up then, my Dear. Because you never saw me really pissed off until now!"

"As you wish, Milady", answered Larry laughing before pulling her to the right door.

Sybil followed him, laughing like a teenager. At last, she would be able to breathe a little bit, let the sun caress her skin, enjoy the man who was sharing her life and learn more about him. Goodbye worries, sullenness and coldness. Goodbye the past…

**To be continued...**


End file.
